The Big 12 this season will use eight officials rather than the traditional seven used across college football. The eighth official will be an “alternate referee” in the offensive backfield, opposite the referee, The Oklahoman reported.

The official’s job isn’t hard, but can be important in an age of hurry-up, no-huddle offenses and rapid-fire substitutions. He’ll be responsible for getting the ball set for the next play as quickly as possible.

Baylor averaged more plays per game than any team in the Big 12. The Bears will benefit as much as anyone from the conference adding an eighth official to get the ball set quicker between plays. (AP photo)

That should suit Big 12 offenses just fine, especially Baylor which was ranked fifth in the nation with an average of 84 offensive plays per game in 2012.

“It’s not an officials’ roles to say, ‘We’re going to fast,” Walt Anderson, the Big 12’s director of officiating, told The Oklahoman. “I would tell this to coaches: ‘It’s your game. You play it how you want to play it. My job is figure out how to keep up with it.”

Of course, this also means defenses will have even less time to get set. That is a major concern for some coaches. This week at SEC Media Days, Auburn coach Gus Malzahn, a longtime proponent of the hurry-up offense, said he thought “it was a joke” when he first heard that some were concerned that the style endangered players.

“If you want to play hurry-up offense, play it. I’ll play you, I don’t care,” said Arkansas coach Bret Bielema. “But it doesn’t mean that I cannot try to protect my players offensively and defensively.”

Eight officials were used in a Big 12 spring game at Oklahoma State. According to the newspaper, there were times when the Cowboys averaged only seven seconds between end of the previous play and the next snap.

The additional official will have the authority to throw flags and from his position, can watch for potential hits on the quarterback.